EFFECT OF PROTEIN-DEPRIVATION ON ERYTHROPOIESIS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 50  (6) , 1093-1097
Abstract
The effects of protein deprivation on erythropoietin (Ep) production were studied. The posthypoxia plasma Ep levels of rats fed a protein-free diet for only 1 day prior to being exposed to 0.5 atm for 7 h were significantly lower than those of comparably hypoxic rats maintained on a normal diet. The posthypoxia plasma Ep levels were even lower in rats kept on protein-depleted diets for longer periods of time. Rats fed diets with 0.5, 5 or 12% protein content for 6 days had lower posthypoxia plasma Ep levels than those fed a normal diet (20% protein content). When a single protein meal was force fed to protein-deprived rats 0-4 h after initiating the exposure to hypoxia, the posthypoxia plasma Ep levels were significantly higher than in protein-deprived rats that were fed H2O or dextrose. The posthypoxia plasma Ep titers of protein-deprived rats fed protein 4-8 h prior to exposure to hypoxia did not differ significantly from those of protein-deprived rats. Although the posthypoxia plasma Ep levels of protein-deprived rats fed a hemolysate containing 0.8 g of Hb 4 h after beginning hypoxia were greater than those of protein-derived rats fed only H2O, the rate of O2 consumption in these 2 groups did not differ. In addition to its response to the availability of O2, Ep production is influenced by the availability of amino acids.